Something Wild (Child of the Winter Moon Book 1)

47: A Cursed Garden

They headed north on foot, having left the horses at Erimon's camp on Ard Skellig.

"Worried this trail might've gone cold...," Geralt said as they walked.

"Even if Craven's dead..." Yennefer said. "We'll manage."

"How?" Juray asked.

"You'll see when the time comes."

"Every time you say something like that, you destroy something."

"And you know this for a fact?"

Geralt sighed. "You could stand to be nicer sometimes, Yen."

"I suppose... but then I wouldn't be the woman you fell in love with, would I?"

They reached the gates of the garden and Juray immediately sensed what Morkvarg was.

"Great," she said.

"What?" Yennefer asked.

"The high priestess cursed Morkvarg into a fucking werewolf."

"Well, this just got interesting," Geralt said. "Since there's no cure for lycanthropy."

"Have you ever heard of a werewolf coming back to life when you kill it?"

"No."

"Then there's more to this damn story and curse." Juray sighed. "Let's find a way into the garden so I can investigate. Might need you to watch my back in there."

"Let's go to that tree the sisters mentioned," Geralt said.

"Plan to bleed yourself for the goddess?"

"Craven did..." Juray said. "I can pick up his trail from his blood."

"Look..." Geralt pointed when they reached the upper level of Freya's Garden and found the old tree. "The impression – kneeled down on one knee..."

Juray crouched down. "And cut himself to make an offering," she said.

"See the bloodstains?" Geralt asked Yennefer.

"I may be inhumanly beautiful, but I don't have supernatural senses like the two of you."

"Which is why you're staying up here," Juray said as she stood.

"Fine... If the need arises, I can cast spells from up here."

"Better vantage point for it as well."

"Don't get hurt, Geralt. Remember, I need you if I'm to find Ciri."

Juray smirked as she looked for a way to drop down into the garden itself and Geralt just gave Yennefer a look before he turned to follow her.

"Oh, come on, I was just teasing. Fool. I need you – period. Better?"

Geralt stopped and turned back to her. "Mhm. Better." He turned to see Juray had already dropped down.

By the time Geralt had caught up to her, she was examining a body.

"Geralt do you see something interesting about this body?"

Geralt examined it with her. "Morkvarg doesn't eat his victims. Strange."